The present invention relates to a monitor-aided microscope suited for viewing through a monitor.
A technique is known for inspecting a specimen, not shown but placed on a stage 052, by an observer viewing a conventional microscope 050 which includes an eye-piece lens 051, the stage 052, and a revolver 053 with no use of a motor, as shown in FIG. 1.
Another technique for inspecting with a microscope aided with a monitor but not an eye-piece lens.
The latter is more preferable than the former permitting the observer to view through the eye-piece lens because it has the following advantages and has widely been used.
(1) The observer when viewing has more freedom in the posture and will suffer from less fatigue and thus enjoy the efficiency of working.
(2) Small flaws which are hardly viewed by the eyes can be detected by processing of data e.g. of an infrared ray or ultraviolet ray image.
(3) The latter allows two or more observers to view and inspect at one time, hence speeding the transmission of information.
The advantages depicted in the paragraphs (1) and (2) are more emphasized in a type of the monitor viewing for inspecting wafers or cells with the use of a screener.
Various types of the monitor viewing have been invented and filed for application.
For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 5-127087 discloses a monitor-aided microscope permitting a subject of interest to be enlarged by a microscope and viewed on the screen of a monitor. Also, another monitor-aided microscope is disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-199077 for improving the operability in monitor viewing.
However, the monitor-aided microscope disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 5-127087 is unfavorable for operating the microscope while viewing the monitor.
FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate such an action. FIG. 2A shows a microscope body 020 accompanied with a camera 021 and a monitor 030 both placed horizontally on a floor 040. FIG. 2B shows a microscope body 020 and a monitor 030 placed vertically on a floor 040.
In the monitor-aided microscopes shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a procedure of steps for operating the microscope body while viewing the monitor includes:
(1) setting a specimen on a stage;
(2) determining a rate of magnification on an objective lens;
(3) controlling a filter, a field of view, and a size of aperture in relation to the objective lens;
(4) viewing the monitor;
(5) adjusting the stage so that the specimen is correctly focused on the monitor; and
(6) positioning the specimen to a desired location for observation.
The above procedure is conducted in a routine manner. More specifically, the observer has to face the microscope for mechanical control and shift his or her eyes to the monitor screen for viewing the specimen as denoted by the dotted lines. Depending on the positional relationship between the microscope body and the monitor, the face of the observer is turned vertically or horizontally to change the direction of vision. This will hardly achieve improvement of the working efficiency or the initial purpose through minimizing the fatigue of the observer.
Also, while the observer who is skilled operating the microscope body without his or her eyes directing to it, he or she has to extend the arms to both sides and bring up the face to view the monitor from their original position in front of the monitor.
In Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-199077, the operability on the microscope body is improved by having a group of controls to be operated by the observer driven electrically and particularly providing a control unit for the observer carrying out a centered controlling action. The powered and centered control will however increase the overall dimensions and also the cost of production.